How does the digestive system break down food?

How does the digestive system break down food?

Digestion is important for breaking down food into nutrients, which the body uses for energy, growth, and cell repair. Digestion works by moving food through the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Digestion begins in the mouth with chewing and ends in the small intestine.

Which is the organ responsible for the absorption of nutrients?

Over 400 species of organisms live in the colon. Large intestine is primarily involved in absorption of water. However, it also absorbs some ions and nutrients released by gut bacteria, specially several vitamins e.g vitamin K. It also absorbs water which remains in the undigested food.

Which is an organ of the digestive system?

The digestive system is the body system responsible for breaking down food and absorbing nutrients. The digestive system is also known as the gastrointestinal system and includes the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, anus and accessory organs, like the pancreas, gall bladder and liver.

How does the small intestine move food through the body?

Small intestine. The muscles of the small intestine mix food with digestive juices from the pancreas, liver, and intestine, and push the mixture forward for further digestion. The walls of the small intestine absorb water and the digested nutrients into your bloodstream.

Glands in your stomach lining make stomach acid and enzymes that break down food. Muscles of your stomach mix the food with these digestive juices. Pancreas. Your pancreas makes a digestive juice that has enzymes that break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

How does the stomach break down the gastric juices?

Breaking Down the Gastric Juices. Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid secreted by the parietal cells, and it lowers your stomach’s pH to around 2. Hydrochloric acid converts pepsinogen into pepsin and breaks various nutrients apart from the food you eat. It also kills bacteria that comes along with your food.

How does the stomach help dissolve other organs?

For example, the digestive juices and enzymes that your stomach makes to break down food could literally dissolve most of the other organs in your body. Your stomach contains a thick mucous lining that prevents these strong juices from eating through its walls.

How is mucus secreted in the stomach lining?

The mucus is secreted by the neck cells and helps coat and protect your stomach lining from the acid environment. Your stomach muscles squeeze and churn to mix the bolus with all of these digestive juices. The liquid mixture is called chyme.